Independent Lawyers’ Forum Alleges Irregularities in Patan High Court Bar Election

Dragon Media Correspondent

The Independent Lawyers’ Forum, affiliated with the Rastriya Swatantra Party, has objected to the election process of the High Court Bar Association, Patan, alleging serious irregularities.

Acting President of the Forum, advocate Harish Chandra Bhattarai, said in a press statement that the election held on Shrawan 30 was highly one-sided, opaque and contrary to established principles of free and fair elections.

He said an institution such as the Bar, which bears responsibility for protecting the professional rights, independence and dignity of legal practitioners as well as democratic values, must itself ensure that its election process is impartial, transparent and credible.

Bhattarai alleged that the election management demonstrated bias, that unauthorized individuals were involved in conducting the process, and that activities were carried out in a manner that adversely affected the free participation and electoral rights of concerned legal practitioners.

According to him, an election of the Bar Association should not serve the interests of any particular individual or group, but should constitute a democratic exercise aimed at building a common institution representing the entire legal community.

The Forum claimed that the election failed to adequately ensure independence, impartiality, transparency, legality and the free participation of legal practitioners, raising questions over the credibility of the process.

The election for the High Court Bar Association, Patan, held on Shrawan 30, was contested by three separate panels, including the Independent Lawyers’ Forum.

The Forum said the activities observed during the election had raised serious questions over both the impartiality and legality of the process and called on the concerned authorities to take the matter seriously.